Chartbreaker

by Gillian Cross

After another fight with her mother and Himmler, her mother's boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Janis May Finch steals one hundred dollars and runs away to join Kelp, a rock band on the brink of success

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Music

181 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1987

About the author

Gillian Cross was born Gillian Arnold in 1945. She was educated at North London Collegiate School, Somerville College, Oxford and the University of Sussex. Although now a full-time writer who often travels and gives talks in connection with her work, she has had a number of informal jobs including being an assistant to a Member of Parliament. For eight years she also sat on the committee which advises ministers about public libraries.

She is married to Martin Cross and they have four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters.

Reviews

[Helen Tamblyn-Saville · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most memorable books of my childhood. I first read Chartbreak when I was about 12 and it became one of my favourite books. Even now as a 31 year old, I still own a dog-eared copy which I re-read.

Finch, our protagonist, is an angsty 17 year old with troubles at home. After a chance meeting with a band in a service station, she runs away to join them as their vocalist. Gillian Cross cleverly tells the story of the band's journey to fame, and Finch's journey as she transitions to adulthood and the sacrifices she makes along the way.

We all relate to the angry teenager at times, but we also experience the frustration of some of her actions and feel for her when things go wrong. Finch is a flawed character. And that's what makes the book so good.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

på Svenska: "Genombrottet" (En Bok för Alla)

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janis Finch is fed up: of school, of her mum's new boyfriend, of herself. After a row with her mum, she storms off into the rain. In a cafe, she encounters for young men, and is provoked by one of them, Christie, into singing. Soon she has run away to London to join them- they are an up and coming band, Kelp.

However, the road to stardom isn't easy; one of the main issues being the controlling nature of Christie. Is it just ambition, or something more sinister? and how does Janis feel about him?

Compellingly told in the first person by Janis/ Finch (her stage name), this story has dated a little since it was first published in the 80s; the technology (cassette, video etc) has inevitably made it feel old fashioned. However, the relationships and plot are compelling, and it is great to have a story about pop music with a character who describes herself as not pretty and slim. A great read for high ability Y6 and over.

[Piotr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it's not the kind of book that would become a milestone of the history of literature, nevertheless, as a person brought up at charts, I was enchanted by this book 10 years ago or so. It's not very common topic when it comes to novels - so, if you have any recommendations, I'd be eager to read them :)

[GraceAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best evocations of how it feels to make rock and roll music, ever.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I must have checked it out from the library 50 times when I was a kid and I still love it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 'Chartbreaker' when I was firmly in my tragic punk phase, and I wanted to be exactly like Finch (although I'd never have admitted this to anyone).

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old book, I have since gotten rid off- bascally Finch is a runaway who discovers she's a perfect addition to a band...